Sparky

The skies over Ponyville were dark. This was highly unusual to happen by itself, much more so on a warm Tuesday morning, and even more so just a few days after the last thunderstorm. Even if the Sun would be unrivaled by any clouds for its place in the sky however, nopony would enjoy it. One pony in particular wouldn't react even if the Sun came crashing down onto Equestria, though seeing the weather unfold filled her with an odd glee. She quickly dashed back into the library and into the basement. There, she didn't waste any time hitting buttons and pulling levers to turn on all of the machinery that had kept her busy for the past days.

Soon, all would work out, she'd reap the rewards for her efforts, and Ponyville would stop calling her crazy, at least for some time. Everything would be just fine again. She went through the procedure one last time, simultaneously reading it from the textbook to ensure she hadn't missed a mistake in the circuitry the first forty-nine times she had checked it. Everything had to be perfect the first time, for she didn't dare imagine the consequences if it weren't. Everything was in order, though. Lights shone, two recording machines produced yet steady graphs, and beeps, well, beeped.

She wasn't entirely comfortable surrounded by such machinery, she had to admit. Neither would she ever have imagined voluntarily teaching herself any scientific procedure, much less with the help of books. She yawned and turned up the lights to help her stay attentive. There couldn't be a screwup now, even though she hadn't slept in forty hours. They would forgive her for it, but she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. The time had come, she could feel it. Her pacing through the circular room was rudely interrupted when she stumbled over something on the ground and nearly knocked over the sleeping beauty in the middle of the room.

It hadn't been theft, she thought. After all, it was impossible to steal something that belonged to her, if anypony at all. Almost enraged, she turned to see what had made her trip was a book on general electronics that she no longer needed. As punishment for its sins, she kicked it across the room, where it slid down a wall, behind a table and out of sight. Tripping hazards were a luxury she simply couldn't afford. Suddenly, one of the machines started blinking its lights and ringing its alarms. This was the moment which she had both been awaiting for an eternity and hoped would never come.

Still, no matter how fast anxiety and fear made her heart beat, there was no more backing out any more. She pulled the lever to lower a mysterious rod into the room, then hit the button to desolate the wires connected to it. It was about to happen, a matter of seconds, she could feel it. Her heart was beating fast enough for two ponies. Everything was ready. Now the only thing she could do was wait. And wait. And wait. Just when she wanted to reopen her eyes, cursing the seconds for taking so long to pass, all of her wishes were fulfilled. Despite isolation, the bang that resulted was deafening, ricocheting off the walls, creating a cascade that went on for far longer than it should.

While researching the concerning theory in ancient scrolls, she had read up something that lightning apparently also struck in the magical plane simultaneously, adding an essence blast to the physical one. She hadn't bothered with it for too long, though, discarding it as soon as it proved unhelpful to her cause. Now, however, she had to admit that there was something to the theory as she was thrown backwards with her head hitting the wall, managing to stay conscious only through pure willpower. The moment was far too precious for her to miss it. Forcing herself up and running back to the table, she quickly went through every nonpositive emotion available upon discovering her experiment didn't seem to have had any effect.

"How can this be? Maybe they were right, maybe it's impossible... maybe I just have to kiss her awake..." After whispering to herself, she quickly, but gently, pressed her lips onto her subject's. She didn't want it to have failed, she didn't want to let go. However, those doubts slowly came to her as the seconds passed one by one with their muzzles still in firm contact with each other. She just had to face it, she was no electrician, much less a scientist or engineer. She was just a silly little mare afraid to face reality. She stepped back, leaving the table and what was on it stained in hot tears, and mentally prepared to begin unbuilding everything. Just when she had turned her back though, she heard a sound that hadn't been there before. It was faint, perhaps even imagined, but that was enough for her. Instantly, she whirled around. "Ah, what am I telling myself, it's just twitches from the electricity. Why did I even think this would work in the first- whoa, did she just?"

The sound returned and increased in strength, becoming clearly noticeable even over the noise of all the devices in the background. Anything she had felt while bent over the table was now gone from her heart, replaced with pure rapture. She couldn't believe she had actually done it. She was breathing.

"Oh my gosh, this is happening! Come on, fight for it! You're better than to let it end like this!"

Slowly but steadily, the breaths increased in volume and frequency. She was so happy and excited, she could barely resist the urge to just jump into a crushing hug. The figure suddenly coughed, "Uh, huh, uh? Whu... what's goinon? Rainbow, that you?"

"Yes! Told them I could do it!" Rainbow Dash stepped up to the table to hold her hoof.

"I... I don't understand." The pony on the table fluttered her eyes open, "What happened? Why am I in my laboratory, strapped to the machinery?"

"Slow. Take all the time you need, Sparky. What do you remember?"

"I think I was... yeah, we were walking home to Ponyville during this terrible storm, and then there's this kinda flash, really bright, I couldn't see any more... then I wake up here. Um, could you please unstrap me?"

"Uh, of course, Twilight," Rainbow quickly obeyed. Twilight tried to rise, but Dash pushed her back down. "No, stay down. You need it. So it's true what they said, you went out between lightning and thunder. Hit you right in the neck. Don't worry though, now everything's fine again."

"So I've been knocked out?" she said, bringing up her head to meet eye level with Rainbow.

"Um, yeah, you could say that. But, as mentioned, everything's fine now. Nothing to worry about any more."

"Why can't I feel the wound?"

"That's our little bookworm, always wanting to know the full truth. Well, I told them to pretty your, I mean, you up." Rainbow rolled her eyes, hoping to cover up her tongue slip.

"What do you mean, what... urk..." Without warning, Twilight released a torrent of fluid, bending her head away from her body, but accidentally drenching Rainbow in the process. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"'T's nothing, not now." Dash wiped her eyes clear, seeing that Twilight's face had fallen into a frown, "Really, it's fine. Uh, what's up?"

"I somehow can't use my magic," Twilight said with a neutral voice, though a clear note of concern was audible in her voice.

"Ah, that'll pass, I guess."

Twilight, acting against her friend's objections, sat up slightly and used her hooves to look through her newest product, "Rainbow, this food is rotten. How long have I been out?"

"Well, a few days, and you haven't been exactly, how do I put this, alive during that time."

Twilight reacted as expected, perhaps even a bit worse, "I've been dead?! So you... brought me back? Why?"

"Why? Why? Sparky, are you saying you WANT to be dead? Plus, I had to. I never got a chance to tell you... I..." Rainbow mumbled something completely incomprehensible, even for the ears of somepony whose heart had not just taken a break of multiple days.

"What was that?"

"I... dammit, I love you. I just can't imagine living without you." Rainbow paused for a second until she heard a surprised sound coming from the unicorn and then cut her off before she could speak, "I know, usually ponies like me just end it all to be with their loved ones, but I couldn't. Don't think I didn't try, but I always had to think of all the others... Fluttershy, Pinkie, y'know, everypony... and what that'd do to them. Instead, I brought you back to us."

"I understand. Still, how in Equestria did you pull this off?" Visibly feeling stabilised, Twilight slowly slid off the table onto unsure hooves. Rainbow Dash wanted to support her, but she kindly refused the offer.

"Uh, hello, your personal collection, maybe? Not like you were gonna use 'em, anyway." Rainbow waved a spare hoof over to the various books lying around, never breaking contact to Twilight's with the other.

"Yeah, makes sense, I guess. Wait, are those hardcovers? Bent all the way?"

"Uh, Twilight? Is that really top priority right now?"

"Sorry, librarian breaking through. I guess I should really be more grateful, since you brought me back from the dead and such. But, wait, if I've been past the border, did my burnout happen already?"

Rainbow didn't answer right away. Magic Burnout was the last thing to happen to a unicorn, releasing their entire magical power at once after death. Both of them could feel that neither wanted to hear the answer.

"Rainbow Dash? You know, I kinda need you for this, like, being dead and all."

"Yeah, it did. I didn't want to tell you... I'm sorry."

"So my magic is gone forever, isn't it?"

Rainbow Dash nodded shily, "But, on the bright side, you are not dead. I think that's only fair for you. Also, if I could make you feel any better by chopping off my wings, just say a word."

"Don't be silly, you wouldn't..."

Dash interrupted her with an expression that made clear she wasn't joking, "For you? Any day, and again every day after. Just to see you smile."

"That's something. Come, let's go up to the lobby. I'm kind of uncomfortable around the machines right now. Let's hope we'll never again need them." Twilight stared at one of them for a few seconds, then sighed, "Oh yeah. Magic equals not. That'll be something to get used to."

Together, they shut off the various devices and went upstairs. Feeling rather tired all of a sudden, Twilight laid down with her eyes closed. Logically, Dash darted to her side to make sure she was alright, "Sparky! Not now, after everything!"

Twilight shook her head and pushed Rainbow Dash away gently but determined. "I'm fine, sorry for the scare. So, about that love stuff? That explains why you've spent most of your time with me recently, I mean, even before that. And the surprisingly common spontaneous gifts. And the fact that you've picked up a pet name for me. But still, why didn't you tell me?"

Rainbow sat down on the tail end of the couch Twilight was on, "I would have, that evening, to be exact. I'd have followed you home while all the others branched off to their own homes, finally gathered the guts to say it, and... well. You see how that plan worked out. Does me calling you Sparky bother you?"

"Oh, not at all, I..."

"Oh, by Luna's plot," Rainbow Dash intervened, "just tell me if you're feeling the same thing already!"

"Rainbow, I actually kind of do. When you acted all like that, I noticed it didn't really bother me."

"So you are?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm in love with you. Aren't you betraying somepony else, though?"

"Who?" Rainbow Dash was clearly confused by Twilight's statement.

"Word's been around you and Applejack are doing some stuff together," Twilight said, slowly leading her forehooves towards each other in a certain way to emphasise the point.

"Duty calls. Or whatever you call those. It doesn't count if it's just something between friends, right?"

"Uh, okay, I guess not."

"I'm still all yours, we didn't go that far. I'm ready whenever you are, though," Rainbow Dash jumped up, forcing their bodies together in a squeezing hug. "Oh, sorry, I'm just... still can't believe this worked."

"Some time later. For now, can we keep all of this between us? Especially the pet name. Please keep that down around others. Wait, others! We gotta spread the news!" Twilight jumped up and quickly went towards the door

"Just one problem," Rainbow Dash intervened, though not in time before Twilight pushed through outside and was quickly drenched. "Yeah, that. I guess I can take care of it, it isn't supposed to happen anyway and it's probably a matter of minutes until I can't pretend I didn't have anything to do with it. You're too, um, air resistant for me to take you along though, and I really don't wanna leave you, what if? You know any kinda spell that'll warn me if somet- riiight. Y'know, give me two months of living in a relationship with you and maybe I'll stop mentioning magic."

"Rainbow, it's okay. Both of those things. I'm feeling fine, maybe a bit drowsy, but what did you expect? Anyway, I have to notify the Princess right away? Erm, where's Spike?"

"Well, since you are officially deceased and he's just a baby, Rarity agreed to take care of him."

"He's been at the Carousel all the time anyway, if I recall correctly. Great, my memory's still working. Let's go there!"

"Now?"

"Yeah, now," Twilight shook her head,  dispersing some of the water that was still in her mane across her surroundings.

"Okay, if you really want to, I guess I can't deny it. I'd rather you're with other ponies, anyway. So," Dash flew up a bit for better view, then dived down again and fetched various pieces of clothing, "put those on."

Twilight hesitantly looked at the small pile before her, containing more than one item for each purpose, "All of them?"

"Of course, we don't want you catching a bug, right? Here, I'll help you."

Together, they managed to dress up Twilight in raincoat, boots, scarf, rain hat, and saddle within reasonable time.

However, when Rainbow Dash wanted to move out, she found that Twilight was still standing in the back. "C'mon Sparky, what's the holdup?"

"Well, firstly, we still didn't have a proper first kiss," she said, upon which Dash sprinted over to her and quickly, but still very sensibly, took care of the problem. It was more than she had ever imagined, a thousand times better now that she could feel Twilight's warmth, her soft lips reacting to her own. After they finally disconnected, Twilight resumed, "We'll have to repeat that sometime later, but it'll do," she winked. "Secondary, what about you?"

"What about me? What, did I stain myself? I don't think I've spilled anything," Rainbow Dash said while looking herself over.

"As bright as ever. But seriously, are you gonna go out dressed like that?"

"Uh, yeah, that's kinda the point. You know, aerodynamics. Besides, the great and powerful Rainbow Dash does not wear clothes!"

"No objections, you're putting on a coat!"

"But..."

"Do it."

"I really..."

"My little Dashie, you're talking to a mare who has tamed the antics of a baby dragon. What chance do you think you have?"

"Ugh, fine." Rainbow let her head hang low to emphasise admitting defeat.

A few minutes later, the two mares stepped out of the library. While one of them was wearing her usual set of weather protection equipment, the other had had to take whatever spare raincoat there had been in the library, which happened to be bright pink without room for wings. It made it literally impossible for her to fly and her wings were already itching for her to just throw off the coat and use them again, but she ignored that in order to let Twilight have her will.

Their arrival at Carousel Boutique had gone as expected, Dash thought. Not that there was any way to predict how a pony would react to seeing a friend's corpse happily greet them, clearly not dead. There had been the usual depression, replaced by ecstatic joy upon spotting Twilight, followed by repeatedly expressing said joy and asking for explanations. Somewhere in that part, she had excused herself, leaving behind her love and another mare, a filly, and a dragon, each with happy tears in their eyes. She had been able to quietly discard the coat, but Twilight had noticed and insisted that she always wore one while cleaning up the storm. Fortunately, Rarity had intervened and provided her with a better model designed for pegasi that also wasn't quite as pink, its color being slightly darker than her own instead. Rainbow still felt that her ideals were being violated, but at least she didn't look like an unreal, heptacolored rainbow any more. She sped up her flight, determined to make this day the happiest in the lives of everypony else as well instead of just her own.